


Memories: Lucario

by fluffybunnybadass



Series: Riolu/Lucario - Sinnoh events [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Diamond & Pearl & Platinum | Pokemon Diamond Pearl Platinum Versions
Genre: this fic is so much fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:34:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28686444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffybunnybadass/pseuds/fluffybunnybadass
Summary: An early note of Sarah's travels in Sinnoh, centering around one Pokemon that was quite popular at the time. As she goes to get her Pokedex updated, she quickly makes friends with another trainer that recognizes her. "Finally," she thinks to herself. "A true rival to share this journey with." And so, one of the threads that tie them together is the bond between them and Aura Pokemon.
Series: Riolu/Lucario - Sinnoh events [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2105754
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	Memories: Lucario

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by one of @shinyskarmorys fics that she showed me awhile ago; unfortunately it's not posted on here yet, so I can't properly attribute inspiration to it yet.  
> I felt a twinge of envy from that, wanting to write a bond like that with a Pokemon, before I remembered that I raised a Lucario!!!! So here we are. At a memory sort of thing. It's definitely a trip down memory lane.  
> Based on real events that happened in high school with a friend of mine, and him breeding me a Riolu to start my game with. I love nicknamed Pokemon! I just didn't know what to name it...

I was in Twinleaf Town, when I had met another traveling trainer named Blaze. It would be the first time that I had ever made friends-- and rivals-- with another trainer that was within my league. Most of the ones that I had met, we passed by once or twice, relegated to being e-mail and online friends. Sure, I had made a good impression or had an amicable relationship with some of the other trainers, Gym Leaders, and other official League members from my travels across Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn, but none that I would find myself encountering and battling every time we met, pushing each other rather than having a somewhat one-sided affair. (It was often me that was rather competitive; those that were not League officials had often lost or were otherwise uninterested in battling as hard as I did; so it was often difficult for me to find someone that I could potentially consider an equal.)

We were both there at Professor Rowan's lab for a Pokedex update. While we were waiting for someone in the lobby of the Professor's lab to come greet us, he played with the latest tech-- a Poketch, something that had been developed and released recently here in the Sinnoh region, while I fiddled with my old, definitely out-dated Pokedex.

Though it was starting to get harder to get it updated, much less upgraded without several recommendations to change, I was content with my Pokedex as it was. I was attached to the device in its current form, a fond relic of my childhood, and all the adventures that I had had; I could trace the scratches on the screen from when a Pokemon knocked it out of my hands, to the worn out Pokemon stickers that I had placed all over it. It had seen me through so much already, that I planned to keep using it for as long as I could, until it was physically impossible. And when that day would happen, I had no doubts that I would cry. Just thinking about it was enough to get me emotional.

Pika was still my valuable traveling companion, my Pikachu capable of battling just as tough as any other Pokemon I had raised at that point; which included Belle, the contest-winning Beautifly I brought with me from Hoenn; Morning Sun and Dark Knight, an Espeon and Umbreon pair that I found in the far-off region of Orre; my Blaziken Terrance, a feisty but trustworthy friend that had gotten me far through the Hoenn League, and a few tough battles when I landed here in Sinnoh. A Crobat named Janet had rounded out the last of my team, at least until I caught some new Pokemon here.

I was busy thinking about how this team would fare here in Sinnoh, what new Pokemon friends I might make, and trying my hand at the Sinnoh contests, when the short guy sitting on the bench next to mine spoke to me.

“Hey!”

I looked up at him, then around me, before inquisitively staring at him.

“Me?”

“Yeah! You look familiar! I think we might've been in the same League Cup once?” He puffed out his chest with pride at the not-so-subtle nod to his achievements, but I couldn't place him at all. I know for sure I never fought him, not even once.

“Uhh... Maybe! Which one was it? I've been in quite a few from Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn.” I looked him over, trying to place him. His short cut hair, the clothes that he wore, and the fuzzy red tail that he had hooked on a belt loop with two other Pokeballs, did not stand out to me as anything from memory.

He scratched his chin, the barest starts of facial hair on the fellow teenager's face.

“Hmm...” He looked over at me, then my Pikachu, and the relic of a Pokedex I had been scrolling through in my hands. “Definitely familiar, but...” He made a happy expression as he had a lightbulb moment, sticking a pointer finger out in the air. “I got it! It wasn't at the League, but at a contest hall in Hoenn! I remember, you used a Beautifly for all five contest types! It was unconventional, but points for effort.”

I felt my face heat up, not sure if I was supposed to be embarrassed about that choice or not. I was determined to show that Beautifly were capable of winning any particular themed contest, since I had loved it the moment I saw one back in Hoenn; it was all on a whim, or maybe it was some random post that made me feel challenged about it, and on my boat-ride here, I had been deciding if I wanted to do the same for the contests here in Sinnoh. I wanted to wait until I saw what their contests and Pokemon were like first before I committed. I'm sure there were going to be some I'd fall in love with, just like Hoenn. But to make that be my contest legacy here.... and with this sort of recognition for the first time in my life... It made me want to reconsider.

“Um.. Yeah! Actually, yes, that was me! It was five different Beautifly though. Each one's got a different moveset for the different themes; some of them were a bit difficult, like appealing to the Tough crowd.” People didn't really think of Beautifly as a tough Pokemon, and the moves that it could learn that could have a tough appeal were few and far between. Especially since I prided myself on raising contest Pokemon that could _also_ be strong in battles. We discussed a bit more about our Contest history. He brought out a beautiful Ninetales with the softest, most luxurious fur, and showed off all of her Beauty ribbons as I gently pet her, exclaiming with pride that he even had an artist ask if _they_ could draw her, instead of the other way around. Some of what he said felt a bit superfluous to me, but I let it slide, allowing him his vanity. I learned from my interactions with Eusine that it was sometimes easier to let these sort of people have their egos than to try and poke holes in it. And besides, it was fun talking with him while we waited.

Eventually an aide came out, asking for our Pokedexes. I held out my old model, excited. I snuck a glance at my new companion's model, which was one I hadn't seen yet. But its sleek and shiny design made me think that it was something rather new; perhaps the latest model. We returned to our seats as the aide left, my Pikachu looking at me curiously. I pet her head, gently scritching behind her ears as I looked at the guy again.

“My name's Sarah. What's yours?”

“Heh heh heh. My name's Blaze!” He held himself up haughtily, puffing out his chest once more. I couldn't tell which was funnier to me; the obvious pseudonym he was running under, or the pride that he held himself up with. I tried not to snicker.

“What? What's so funny?”

“N-nothing!” I said, choking back laughter. “Hey, how old are you?”

“Fifteen. What's it to you?”

Now it was my turn to grin, the tiniest swelling of ego at finally being older than someone else. “I'm sixteen!”

He tsked, sulking a little. “Like that's got anything to do with you laughing at me.”

“Okay, well. Do you train fire-types then?”

“Kinda. What makes you think I do?”

“Blaze.”

“Yes?”

“No, really. That's it. You said your name was Blaze. You're like. There's no way you were really named Blaze.”

“But I was! It's really my real name!”

“Uh huh.”

We talked for awhile like that, initial skepticism of each other fading away as we began to crack jokes and quickly bonded. In the time it took for the aide to come back with Blaze's Pokedex, it felt like we had been friends for awhile. Blaze thanked the aide, quickly swiping through the new pages that were added, ooh'ing and ahh'ing at the new Pokemon. I stood a bit away, looking at the aide expectantly.

“I'm sorry, Miss Sarah. Your model of Pokedex is going to take a bit longer to upgrade--”

“O-oh! That's okay! I'll just wait here a bit longer then.”

The aide left, and I slowly crept over to Blaze. The younger guy was shorter than me, so I was trying to discreetly look over his shoulder-- it would have been easier, if my presence wasn't so noticeable.

“You know, if you wanted to look, all you gotta do is just ask.”

I winced, but played it off with a joke. “But I was trying to sneak up on you!”

“Nothing can sneak up on me! Not even a Sableye!”

“We'll have to see about that sometime.”

I watched him scroll through the Pokedex, glancing over at the door the aide had disappeared behind to see if he might return soon with mine. Every so often I'd point at Blaze's 'Dex when there was a cool Pokemon that we both were in awe of, or whenever there was a cute one.

“Ahhhh!!! Lookit this one! Its cheeks remind me of a Pikachu's!”

“It's a... Pachi...” He paused, fumbling through the name's many syllables. “Pachirisu?”

“A Pachipachi?”

“Is that what you're gonna name one if you catch it?”

“Yes! Hey, do you wanna battle when the aide comes back with my Dex?” I held up my Blaziken's Pokeball. It'd be nice to have a battle with someone that I finally felt like I knew, instead of a few random Trainers along the way here. Especially since he said he was an established Trainer, having made it to the finals for several different cups.

“Sure! So long as you don't mind losing.”

“As if! _You're_ the one that's gonna be losing around here.”

“Nah-uh!”

“Yeah-huh!”

We met up again in Floaroma Town about a week later. It hadn't been planned. There were some Team Galatic nuts at the nearby route, and we both happened to run into each other while it happened. We scared off the grunts with ease, surprisingly working well together for a couple of trainers who hadn't spent much time battling together, and walked back to the town's Pokemon Center. We let out a few of our Pokemon, taking a break in the field of flowers north of the local flower shop.

Terrance sat beside me, seizing up the other trainer that his human had battled alongside. His eyes swiftly went to the Ninetales and Arcanine, the former of whom was curled up on the grass beside her trainer. It seemed that he wanted to battle them again, but neither of us had brought up the offer of a Pokemon Battle yet. Sun and Knight were curled up next to each other under a nearby tree, Janet sitting on one of the branches as she ate a hanging Kelpsy berry. Pika and Arcanine raced across the field playfully, my Pikachu jumping all over the massive canine as it playfully yipped into air. Belle sat beside us, expectantly, as our stash of Pokeblocks were laid bare in comparison to each other. Beside Blaze was a small blue and black Pokemon that I hadn't seen yet. It leaned against his thigh as Blaze sat cross-legged on the ground. I was curious about what Pokemon it was, and I heard a lot of the excited trainers, younger than us, talk about a powerful Pokemon that they were all eager to catch. A rare Pokemon, that was difficult to train if you couldn't bond with it.

“Hey, what's that new Pokemon that you've got?”

“Oh, this guy? This is a Riolu. When he gets a bit stronger, he's gonna evolve into a Lucario, and we're going to totally nail the League here when we do!”

“So THAT'S the Pokemon that everyone's been going on about?! It's so small and cute!!”

“Just wait 'til you see it evolve. Then it looks super cool!” He turned to his new companion, holding out a pumped up fist. “Right buddy?!”

“Ri!” It mimicked the pose with a determined expression. It certainly seemed to gel well with him. The Pokemon didn't even seem shy around me, but rather comfortable, more so than most Pokemon when they met a new human. I thought about what I overheard, and nodded to myself.

“Right. So where can you find one?”

“Hmmm...” Blaze scratched his chin again, thinking. “I dunno. I got lucky and some guy named Riley gave me an egg, and it hatched into this. Actually, I've had the egg for awhile. It only recently hatched, but I've felt like I've had it forever. Like we were meant to be.”

I sulked a little, jealous-- I wanted to have a story like that. Sure, there were many Pokemon that I've had for a long time now; partners that I couldn't imagine my life without, like Pika and Terrance. Pokemon who I've instantly connected with, as trainer and as friends. But none that had a bond since before they hatched. But I pretended, albeit poorly, to not sound jealous.

“That's nice,” I grumbled, looking away so the envy wouldn't be plain on my face. “Wonder if I'll ever get to find one.”

“Cheer up! I'm sure you will!”

“...”

“And if not, I'll see if I can breed you one when this little guy's evolved!”

My eyes lit up at the offer. “REALLY!?” I shouted, leaning forward in excitement. A few nearby people in the vast flower field turned to look at us, no doubt startled by me. I lowered my voice when I spoke again. “You'd do that for me?” I felt a wibble in my lip as I looked at him.

“Promise!” He held out a thumbs up to me.

“You're so awesome!” I held out a thumbs up as well, pressing my fist against his, and 'dinked' my thumb against his. We both made a _dink_ noise, giggling at our silliness as teenagers.

“I know I am!” He grinned at me, before his face suddenly became serious. He leaned in, a devious smirk on his face “Now... You mentioned some guy named Lance last time we talked.... He single?”

My face instantly flushed as I shouted at him on instinct. I wound up babbling my way through the next conversation with my friend, burying my face and speaking from behind my hands in squeaks and whines as he laughed and teased me about my crush on the older Trainer, the standing League Champion back in Indigo Plateau. We spent a lot of time chit-chatting about that, about his crushes on people, about what we heard of the nearest Gym and its Leader and what strats we were gonna do. Basically, anything that came to mind.

It was nice, finally having a companion that I could meet up with, while we traveled at our own pace. I hadn't had a rival for the last several years, unless you count some of the Gym Leaders I had befriended over time. But it wasn't quite the same; they were posted positions, established Trainers in their own right. I was just a randomly passing trainer, someone on a journey. It was hard to share that with people who didn't _get_ to go traveling. It was hard to get excited about sharing a journey with someone who didn't experience the same parts that I did, or were going to. It was so nice to finally have a _friend_.

The last thing we were talking about before he suddenly shifted topic was the candy bars we were eating, and how fun it was to say the names of some of them.

“Hey, do something for me?”

“Uh... sure?”

“Hold up your hand like this.” He made the thumbs up sign again. I instantly pressed my fist against him, mirroring the thumbs up. “No no, not yet. Here.” He moved his hand back from mine a bit. In a high pitched, squeaky voice, he gave me an almost-tiny sounding, “ _Kit!”_

“ _Kat!”_ I followed, grinning.

Simultaneous, we dinked our thumbs together, saying, “ _Kit-kat!”_

We giggled and laughed, the silly, random thought too hilarious for us at that moment. We were laughing so hard we were wheezing. I was laughing so hard I couldn't breath, an almost-inaudible pitch of giggle.

“Hey!” I said suddenly, once I could breath again. “We should do this all the time! Kit!”

“OMG yes. Kat!”

“ _Kit-Kat!”_

A few weeks had passed since our chance meeting back in Floaroma Town. I was finally entering Hearthome City, and I had called Blaze, who had powered ahead of me, asking him to meet me back here and show me around.

“And there's the Contest Hall... Oh, and further down the street is where the Gym is. Fantina's the Gym Leader, she uses Ghost-types, but more importantly, _she also does contests._ ”

“Oh my Arceus. Finally. Someone else who sees that you can do contests and be strong in battles.”

“What about Wallace?”

“Eh, Wallace wasn't difficult. His Gym puzzle was more frustrating to combat than him.”

Blaze snorted. “Ouch. I'll tell him you said that the next time I see him!”

“What no omg don't do that--”

We walked down the street, his Riolu-- no, his Lucario, striding alongside him, looking a bit stoic but otherwise at peace with the trip.

“So,” I said, looking at his Lucario. I bit my lower lip, trying not to sound greedy or pushy. I hadn't had any luck finding any Riolu or Lucario in my trip so far. “How long ago did he evolve?”

“Oh, awhile ago. Lucario's been AWESOME in getting me through all these Gym Battles. I've just been breezing through, even with the ghost-type disadvantage against Fantina.”

“Huh.” I looked over his Pokemon again. It certainly looked strong, and felt much stronger than the Riolu that I remembered the last time I saw it. My Blaziken followed my stare, bristling slightly at the Lucario that had stolen its trainer's focus. Terrance seemed to think that he could take it on. He probably could, given the Steel-typing it had. We stopped at a bench, and Blaze sat down, turning the large backpack he had on so it was in front of him.

“Oh, guess what?!” he said, as my thoughts lingered on his Pokemon. I looked at him, his face a grin as he held out an egg. My eyes lit up. _This was it. This had to be it_!

“I got this egg from a Hiker here! It's rather pink, so I'm curious to see what it'll evolve into. I don't think it's a Jigglypuff, they're not native here. I think it might be a Happiny, actually. See how the markings look?” He set the egg down on the bench, and I felt my heart deflate a little as he continued to talk, showing me the page in the Pokedex and where the markings matched the band on a Happiny.

“Mmmm... Yeah.. It probably is,” I mumbled, hoping that maybe he might still give me this, at least. _Why was I so selfish?_ I thought to myself, before wondering if I was giving away everything I was wishing for. He didn't owe me any Pokemon or any Pokemon Egg. We were friends, but it wasn't like I offered to pay him upon delivery for a Riolu or Lucario. And it wasn't like it was a guarantee that I would even be a match for either; you needed to be Aura-sensitive, it turned out, and I had no way to know if I was. Blaze sure hadn't said anything, but it's not like he knew much about it either.

As though on track with my thoughts, Blaze suddenly snapped his fingers, eyes lighting up. He tucked the egg back into his backpack, quickly fumbling around with another zipper. “That reminds me-- I got-- _this_ for you!” He held out a minimized Pokeball, quickly enlarging it before offering it to me.

“Here you go! As promised!”

“W-what?”

“Well, you wanted a Lucario, right? So I got you one. Well, sort of. Check it out!” He waited with giddy anticipation, as I suddenly was at a loss. As much as I wanted it, and was hoping for it, I still didn't expect him to actually pull through. Not with the things that I had learned about Riolus and Lucarios. Even if he did catch me one... If I wasn't aura-sensitive... If I wasn't capable of understanding it at all, it might not ever like me. And that was a scary thought that gave me pause as I looked at the Pokeball he held out to me.

But that was a thought that been in the back of my mind, between first seeing his Riolu, and now. Because now that I was being offered, my excitement took hold, and I took the Pokeball from him.

From the very second my fingertips touched the Pokeball, I felt as though I was holding onto an extension of myself. Something that I had always had in my life, even though this was the first time I was ever going to see the Pokemon inside. I could almost imagine feeling a heartbeat inside the ball, if I had let my imagination run free right then and there. There was a gentle warmth in my chest. All of this only furthered my excitement. I pressed the button on the Pokeball.

A baby Riolu blinked its eyes as it looked around at its surroundings.

I waited with bated breath, letting the Riolu examined where it was, what was going on, before it finally settled its eyes on me. They widened. And, without any hesitation, it leapt out to me, a happy smile on its face as it landed in my arms, hugging me. I squeezed it back, just as excited and happy to see it. I was trying not to bounce in place, but I couldn't help myself from moving, turning from side to side as I hugged the small Riolu, who only seemed to yip in contentment. Maybe a laugh? I couldn't tell yet, but I knew deep down that it was a positive feeling.

Blaze grinned at me. “I knew the Egg that this one came from would be the right one for you! I even gave it a nickname. Go ahead, pull up its data on your Pokedex!”

I gave Blaze a curious stare. He looked giddy, almost eager for me to see what its name was. I held my Pokedex's infrared against the Pokeball's center button, scanning its information. When it finally pulled up, my face went full red, and I tried to stammer out a reply, completely unable to. I'm sure steam must've came from my ears; my face felt so hot. I felt Riolu give me a curious glance, not understanding why I was so red, but I couldn't even formulate thoughts at my reaction to the name.

“Y-you... H-h-how... how could y-y-you........ I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!!!!!!”

“What?” He said, holding up his hands in a playful defense as his Lucario watched on at the display. “I thought you would have loved it!! It's named after your favorite person!”

“BLAAAAAZZZEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I wanted to murder him, but I was too busy having a processing issue at the name linked to this Riolu's Pokeball to even try. I was simultaneously flattered that he paid that much attention to what I had said, but at the same time... shocked. How... how could I........... “T-that...... that name............”

> _Pokedex No. 448_
> 
> _Riolu ♂ Lv. 1_
> 
> _Name: Lance_
> 
> _OT: Blaze 32992_
> 
> _Egg received: May 2nd, 2007_
> 
> _Egg hatched: May 4th, 2007_


End file.
